I am planning up my St. Patrick's Day festivities and brews. St. Pat's is a special time of year for me as I am of Irish decent and it was this time 2 years ago that my father and I brewed up our 1st batch of ale togeather. It was an AHS pale ale kit and a very fond memory of time spent with my father. A few months after this he was diagnosied with brain cancer and we buried him about 5 months later. I saved the remaining bottles that we made togeather, dipped the ends in wax to help preseve them and drink 1 every year on St. Patrick's day.

I know I am getting down to the wire but this is the 1st year I will be having a St. Pat's party/brew day and I hope to make this a bi-annual event. I will have an Irish Red and an Irish Stout homebrews to drink at the event on tap. I perfer to wear green not drink it.

I will be brewing up an Oktoberfest ale and a Munich based stout that morning, since these beers are traditionally brewed in March. I will be inviting freinds, family and club members to the brew day but I suspect most of my friends will show for the party afterwards. I plan to be all done and cleaned up shortly after lunch time. Then it is time to celebrate!

At the party we will have Irish music and food. I suspect a few drinking games as well, ending the evening with a fire if it does not rain. In case of rain I have a large garage to move the party into.

I plan to attempt to naturally carb these beers inside hoff stevens kegs, build a beer engine and a standard tap that are mobile, for special events. Then almost 6 months later I will throw an Oktoberfest party tapping the beer that was made at the St. Pat's event and at which time I will brew the Irish beers for the next St. Pats day! I also plan to unveil the taps for Oktoberfest! Then rince and repeat for an almost 6 month apart bi-annual brew/party.

So do you have any plans for St. Pat's this year or any Irish brews?

__________________“I'm not drunk, I'm from Wisconsin.”We have been out drinking your state since 1848!

I usually throw a big party, but it may just be like 10-20 people instead of 40-50 this year, since my new house is much smaller. A few years ago I brewed my 2nd beer, 1st recipe of my own, all grain, new equipment, on St. Patrick's Day. It was a Foreign Extra Stout that scored a 43/50 that May. I was pounding back Guinness/Beamish/Murphys while brewing - who says you can't drink and brew? The years after I have had 6 beers on tap. Irish Red and FES (both have been on nitro, but not anymore - I think it's more novelty than anything), and 4 other random beers. Last year I brewed Monolith on St. Patrick's Day, my 16.3% RIS. One of the best beers I have ever tasted and a lot of people like it better than Dark Lord. So I plan to brew that again this year.